Outdoor stair lifts in Naples

Who this is for

An outdoor lift suits someone who can sit and transfer but cannot manage the steps up to the front door. A wheelchair user needs a porch lift or vertical platform lift instead.

Do outdoor stair lifts in Naples need a permit?

Stair lifts in private residences are outside Florida's elevator law. We have not found a published Collier County rule on stair lift permits, so check with your building department or ask the installer to before fitting.

In raised Naples homes the stair that matters is often outside, from the garage or driveway to the front door, which calls for an outdoor stair lift built for salt air and sun.[7][8]

Naples houses and outdoor stair lifts

About 43 percent of Collier homes and 58 percent in neighbouring Lee County are detached houses. Many newer homes are single-storey on a raised slab or raised fully above a garage, so the climb is often outside the house.

About 34 percent of Collier County residents are 65 or older, and 29 percent in Lee County, the highest shares of the areas we serve. Planning a lift early lets a household choose the model and wait out lead times without pressure.

Collier's housing is young: about 46 percent of homes were built in 2000 or later, and the median home dates from 1998. Newer homes often have wider stairs and stronger walls, which can make a stair lift or elevator simpler to fit than in older South Florida houses.[9][4][10]

Help paying for an outdoor stair lift in Collier

Medicare usually does not pay for stair lifts, and the VA's HISA benefit excludes stair glides. For Medicaid long-term care in Collier and Lee (Region F), call the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida on (866) 413-5337. Veterans can ask the Naples VA Clinic about other help.[11][12][13][6][14]

What is different about a home lift in Naples?

Storm surge shapes everything here. Hurricane Ian brought 6 to 9 feet of inundation to Naples and 8 to 12 feet to Bonita Springs and North Naples, and the Naples Pier tide gauge recorded 6.18 feet above high tide before it was destroyed. FEMA expects a float switch or equal system on any elevator whose cab could descend below the base flood elevation, with pumps and controls kept above that level where possible.

Collier is outside the High Velocity Hurricane Zone, so outdoor lifts follow the standard Florida wind rules; the surge, salt and sun are what shorten their life.[2][15][3]

Permits in Naples

• Collier County Building Permits and Construction: Building and electrical permits for unincorporated Collier County. The City of Naples and Marco Island issue permits inside their limits; check with your building department for the submittal list.
• Florida DBPR Bureau of Elevator Safety: Regulates covered elevators directly in Collier and Lee, such as lifts in shared condo areas ($325 to install a regulated conveyance). Lifts serving only one family residence are not regulated by the bureau.

Stair lift, ramp or porch lift?

Fixr puts a wheelchair ramp at $1,700 to $5,000 and says the ADA recommends a slope no steeper than 1:12 in new construction, which means 12 inches of ramp for every inch of rise. A porch five steps high needs a very long ramp, which is when an outdoor stair lift or porch lift starts to make sense.[22]

Looking after an outdoor lift in Florida

• Keep the weather cover on when the lift is parked
• Rinse salt spray off the rail if you live near the coast, if the maker allows it
• Park the chair and charge it fully before a storm
• Book a yearly service; Fixr puts stair lift maintenance at $100 to $200 a year

Frequently asked questions